Prolific Era Research Articles

Where the Great Cities Go, Do Other Cities Follow? Divergent Trajectories of LGBTQ Organizational Growth Across the United States During the AIDS Crisis

ABSTRACT Numerous studies examine how LGBTQ life differs between large, cosmopolitan cities like San Francisco and other, less prominent cities. Nevertheless, most of this research is done through case studies of one or a handful of LGBTQ communities, making it unclear how unique the large hubs of LGBTQ life truly are. This study leverages nationally complete data from the U.S. Gayellow Pages, a historical listing of local LGBTQ organizations, to evaluate how the organizational response of LGBTQ communities to the AIDS crisis—arguably the most prolific era of organizational creation in LGBTQ history—differed between large hubs and other cities. Findings make clear the risks of generalizing about LGBTQ life from large hubs alone. Although AIDS stimulated the creation of health-related and social movement organizations in large hubs, AIDS was more strongly associated with organizational creation outside of rather than within large hubs. The types of organizations created due to AIDS tended to be more varied outside of rather than within large hubs as well. These differences highlight the value of decentering the large hubs of LGBTQ life as units of analysis in the study of sexuality and space.

Reaction mechanism of syngas produced via pyrolysis of enteromorpha polysaccharides

The mechanism of gas-phase products from pyrolysis of polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE) is researched. The sulfated polysaccharides are the most important polysaccharides in Enteromorpha prolifera. The molecular dynamics (MD) method is used to simulate the pyrolysis process of sulfated polysaccharides of Enteromorpha prolifera. Combined with the results of the pyrolysis simulations and density functional theory (DFT), rhamnose, glucuronic acid, glucose, and xylose are used as model compounds to estimate and calculate the reaction paths of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. In addition, fixed-bed pyrolysis experiments are performed with the above four monomers. The pyrolysis simulation results show that the pyrolysis process of sulfated polysaccharides is approximately divided into three stages: low-temperature, medium-temperature, and high-temperature stages. Gas-phase products are mainly produced in the high-temperature stage, and the main components of syngas are hydrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. The simulation and experimental results show that pyrolysis of xylose is the most likely to generate hydrogen, followed by glucose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid. The process of producing carbon monoxide from monomers goes through reactions such as dehydration, isomerization, C-C bond breakage, and decarbonylation. Moreover, the results of fixed-bed experiments indicate that when the four monomers are pyrolyzed individually, the highest proportions of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane in the gas-phase products are obtained from the pyrolysis of xylose, glucuronic acid, and rhamnose. When the four monomers are mixed and then pyrolyzed, the proportion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the obtained gas-phase products decreases, and the proportion of carbon dioxide increases.

Transformation or Conformation? The English Broadside Ballad and the Playhouse, 1797–1844

ABSTRACT This article considers the migration of theatre music into the English broadside ballad tradition from 1797 to 1844, the most prolific era of the broadside during which the fierce professional competitors John Pitts (active 1797–1844) and James Catnach (active 1813–41) operated their presses in the Seven Dials, near London’s patent theatres. The discussion is based on the findings of a database that was constructed systematically to cross-reference 520 theatrical works from the London stage with 11,432 broadside songs of this period from the Bodleian Library’s broadside collections. By considering the scale and mechanism of the migration of theatre music into the broadside tradition—as well as examining the characteristics of the songs themselves—this article explores the effects of theatre music on nineteenth-century street literature and song, evaluating the ways in which theatre songs transformed the broadside tradition, and the ways in which they conformed to it.

Directional preparation of anticoagulant-active sulfated polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera using artificial neural networks

The sulfated polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE) are a potential source of anticoagulant agents. In this study, the PE was degraded by specific degradase and five hydrolysis products with different molecular weights were prepared. The product of 206 kDa is a kind of high rhamnose-containing polysaccharide with sulfate ester (34.29%). It could effectively prolong the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), which indicated inhibition of the intrinsic coagulation pathway. The artificial neural network (ANN) was built to realize the directional preparation of anticoagulant-active polysaccharides. Based on monitoring glucose concentration on-line, a visualization system of enzymatic hydrolysis was developed to simplify the operation of ANN. The model could be further applied to predict molecular weights of polysaccharides that possess diverse biological activities.

Compositional and structural characteristics of sulfated polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera

Polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE) has been reported to have biological activities such as anticancer, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities, but the structural characteristics of PE remain unclear. In this study, the composition of PE was characterized using chemical methods, IR spectroscopy and HPLC. PE was identified as a sulfated polysaccharide mainly composed of rhamnose (Rha), glucuronic (GlcUA), xylose (Xyl) at a molar ratio of 3.2: 1.1: 1, and the average molecular weight was 620.3kDa. An enzymatic hydrolysis method was used to obtain three carbohydrate products. The MS and NMR results of these residues revealed that the backbone of PE consisted of D-GlcUAp-α-(1→4)-3-sulfate-l-Rha p-β-(1→4)-d-Xyl p-β-(1→4)-3-sulfate-l-Rha p units. In this study, specific carbohydrate residues rich in sulfated rhamnose were prepared from E. prolifera. The structural determination of these sulfated carbohydrates may contribute to future studies on the relationship between structure and bioactivities.

Carboxymethylated degraded polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera: Preparation and in vitro antioxidant activity

In order to improve the bioactivities of the polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE), crude PE (Mw 1400kDa) was degraded to low molecular weight polysaccharide (44kDa) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide/ascorbic acid, followed by carboxymethylation. The reaction conditions for carboxymethylation of degraded polysaccharide (DPE) were optimized by Response Surface Methodology. The carboxymethyled degraded polysaccharide (CDPE) obtained under optimized conditions, with a degree of carboxymethylation of 0.849, was characterized by FT-IR and 13C NMR. The molecular weight of CDPE was measured to be 53.7kDa. CDPE was evaluated for its antioxidant activity by determining the ability to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals, and by determining the ferric reducing power. The antioxidant activity of CDPE was found to be greatly improved in comparison with degraded polysaccharide (DPE) and crude polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE).

The Interactive Urban Model: Histories and Legacies Related to Prototyping the Twenty-First Century City

This article surveys the theoretical and historical legacies of mass production and standardization, and the cultural issues associated to globalization, in the most prolific era ever of urbanization. Situated at the intersection of scholarly writing on history, current conditions and a speculative future, this paper focuses on themes related to design research on computation, fabrication, and the city. Given the ongoing transition of industrial paradigm from Modernism’s dependency upon Fordist mass production, the context of today’s emerging methods of non-standard production is explored, with an emphasis on design repercussions at the urban scale. Theorisations of the cultures surrounding, within, and against technology, this paper will confront the difficult issues of the expression of identity in late capitalism, through resistance of regionalism and other neo-traditionalist positions in an increasingly globalized world. These issues lead to a proposition of the notion of an interactive urban model, as the basis of embedding intelligence into city design, and the potential of producing highly customized materialization through contemporary production technologies. The hypotheses of these issues is explicated by 3 case study design projects, carried out by the author’s practice, OCEAN CN Consultancy Network, based in Hong Kong. The three projects demonstrate the author’s design research experimentation with design and production technologies at various scales of practice in architecture, urbanism, urban and landscape design, and masterplanning, applying computation towards the objective of achieving, modulated spatial attributes.

Rheological properties, gelling behavior and texture characteristics of polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera

Polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE) which is the most common green algae is gradually becoming an attractive candidate with novel functions by virtue of its unique chemical and physicochemical properties. The infrared spectrum (FT-IR) of PE confirmed that it is a distinctive, sulfated heteropolysaccharide. Dynamic rheology was systematically conducted to investigate the effect of concentration, temperature, pH, and electrolytes on PE. The flow behavior testing verified its pseudoplastic character. A closed hysteresis loop was obtained when the PE concentration reached 10g/L. For the phase angel (tanδ) was always less than 1, the solid-like behavior of PE is also found at 10–14g/L PE in the linear viscoelastic region (LVR). Furthermore, study on its potential gelling behavior showed that 16g/L PE could form a gel and had well textural properties. The unique functional groups and characteristics of PE provided the possibility to apply into food industry.

A Crowded Agenda: Labor Reform and Coalition Politics during the Great Society

For much of the post-WWII era, conservative forces blocked progressive labor policy from reaching a floor vote. With huge Democratic majorities in Congress, the 1960s represented a rare opportunity for unions to substantively alter industrial relations policy. The decade served as an important moment of policy development for numerous groups in the coalition. Organized labor, however, made few gains during this prolific era. Despite labor's central position within the governing coalition, Democrats repeatedly failed to pass their most important legislative ambition, the repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act's right-to-work clause. In 1965, Democrats nearly achieved this goal when such a bill passed the House, only to be blocked by a filibuster in the Senate. By analyzing the Democrats' legislative priorities during the Great Society, I show how coalitional politics structured the party's policy agenda and how this ordering affected legislation in turn. With the infusion of new coalitional demands, party elites strategically placed labor's controversial issue at the end of a long legislative agenda, effectively eliminating any chance for passage. Rather than locating all blame with the usual suspects, this rarely studied episode suggests that President Johnson and his leaders in Congress played a central role in the bill's failure. The study provides new insight into the process, and consequences, by which party leaders decide whose issues to prioritize when setting the agenda.

TheCultural Image Literacy Assessment: One Hundred Images Every American Should Know

The Journal of American CultureVolume 37, Issue 4 p. 404-418 Article The Cultural Image Literacy Assessment: One Hundred Images Every American Should Know Richard Emanuel, Richard EmanuelSearch for more papers by this authorSiu Challons-Lipton, Siu Challons-LiptonSearch for more papers by this authorKim Baker, Kim BakerSearch for more papers by this author Richard Emanuel, Richard EmanuelSearch for more papers by this authorSiu Challons-Lipton, Siu Challons-LiptonSearch for more papers by this authorKim Baker, Kim BakerSearch for more papers by this author First published: 03 December 2014 https://doi.org/10.1111/jacc.12271Citations: 4Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume37, Issue4December 2014Pages 404-418 RelatedInformation

Application of Mellin-Kind Statistics to Polarimetric <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="TeX">${\cal G}$</tex-math></inline-formula> Distribution for SAR Data

The K distribution can arguably be regarded as one of the most successful and widely used models for radar data. However, in the last two decades, we have seen tremendous growth in even more accurate modeling of radar statistics. In this regard, the relatively recent G <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sup> distribution has filled some deficiencies that were left unaccounted for by the K model. The G <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sup> model, in fact, resulted as a special case of a more general model, the G distribution, which also has the K model as its special form. Single-look and multilook complex polarimetric extensions of these models (and many others) have also been proposed in this prolific era. Unfortunately, statistical analysis using the polarimetric G distribution remained limited, primarily because of more complicated parameter estimation. In this paper, the authors have analyzed the G model for its parameter estimation using state-of-the-art univariate and matrix-variate Mellin-kind statistics (MKS). The outcome is a class of estimators based on the method of log cumulants and the method of matrix log cumulants. These estimators show superior performance characteristics for product model distributions such as the G model. Diverse regions in TerraSAR-X polarimetric synthetic aperture radar data have also been statistically analyzed using the G model with its new and old estimators. Formal goodness-of-fit testing, based on the MKS theory, has been used to assess the fitting accuracy between different estimators and also between the G, K, G <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sup> , and Kummer- U models.

Production of enzymes by Alteromonas sp. A321 to degrade polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera

Polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE) are becoming increasingly popular due to its bioactivity and abundant source. Screening novel microorganisms which could secrete enzymes to degrade PE efficiently for oligosaccharides production is a promising solution to improve its application. In this study, a marine bacterium that can produce enzymes to degrade PE specifically was selected. It was identified as Alteromonas sp. A321, based on the biochemical properties and 16S rDNA gene sequencing. In order to maximize the activity of degradase for polysaccharides from E. prolifera (DPE), the effects of medium composition and culture conditions were investigated. The highest DPE production was obtained in the medium consisting of K2HPO4 0.15%, PE 0.9%, NaNO3 0.4%, NaCl 1.0% and MgSO4 0.05%. The degradase activity was enhanced from original 0.391U/ml to 0.744U/ml. DPE show high efficiency and substrate specificity to PE with 63.53% of reducing sugar production in the 7h hydrolysis.

Expression of the Arabidopsis MCM Gene PROLIFERA During Root-Knot and Cyst Nematode Infection

ABSTRACT Expression of the Arabidopsis thaliana gene PROLIFERA (PRL) was examined during development of root-knot and cyst nematode feeding sites. These obligate plant parasites establish specialized feeding structures in roots that allow them to withdraw nutrients from the host. In the process of establishing feeding sites, nematodes alter cell cycle regulation. PRL is normally expressed specifically in dividing cells at all stages of plant development and was used here as a marker for cell division. PRL expression, reported from a PRL::GUS fusion protein, was detected in nematode feeding sites of both root-knot and cyst nematodes from the earliest stages of infection in both giant cells and syncytia. However, unlike other cell cycle genes, expression of PRL was detected only occasionally in cells surrounding the feeding sites. PRL::GUS activity persisted until late in the infection cycle, past the time when other cell cycle genes are expressed. These data indicate that some aspects of the PRL expression pattern during nematode infection differ from that of other cell cycle genes.

The Arabidopsis gene PROLIFERA is required for proper cytokinesis during seed development.

The Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. gene PROLIFERA (PRL) is a member of the MCM family of genes that are required for DNA replication during the S phase of the cell cycle. PRL is expressed in dividing cells throughout plant development. During reproductive development, PRL is expressed in both the developing megaspore mother cells and microspore mother cells, but is not expressed in the developing microgametophyte, suggesting that it does not function in the final haploid divisions leading to the production of a mature pollen grain. Disruption of PRL leads to megagametophyte and embryo lethality. prl mutant embryos arrest at a variety of stages, and often show defects in cytokinesis. Multinucleate cells and non-stereotypical cell division planes are commonly observed in developing prl mutant embryos, although mcm mutations in other organisms have not been reported to affect cytokinesis. These observations suggest that PRL may play a role in cytokinesis that is distinct from its role in regulating DNA replication. Additionally, a novel cytokinesis checkpoint that monitors cell cycle progression may exist in Arabidopsis.

The essential Mcm7 protein PROLIFERA is localized to the nucleus of dividing cells during the G(1) phase and is required maternally for early Arabidopsis development.

PROLIFERA (PRL) encodes a homologue of the DNA replication licensing factor Mcm7, a highly conserved protein found in all eukaryotes. Insertions in the PROLIFERA gene are lethal, resulting in decreased transmission through the female gametophyte, and homozygous embryonic lethality. We show here that PROLIFERA is specifically expressed in populations of dividing cells in sporophytic tissues of the plant body, such as the palisade layer of the leaf and founder cells of initiating flower primordia. Gene fusions with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reveal that the PROLIFERA protein accumulates during the G(1) phase of the cell cycle, and is transiently localized to the nucleus. During mitosis, the fusion protein rapidly disappears, returning to daughter nuclei during G(1). PROLIFERA::GUS fusions are strongly expressed in the central cell nucleus of mature megagametophytes, which have a variety of arrest points reflecting a leaky lethality. Expression is also observed in the endosperm of mutant prl embryo sacs that arrest following fertilization. Crosses with wild-type pollen result in occasional embryonic lethals that also stain for GUS activity. In contrast, embryos resulting from crosses of wild-type carpels with PRL::GUS pollen do not stain and are phenotypically normal. In situ hybridization of GUS fusion RNA indicates transcription is equivalent from maternally and paternally derived alleles, so that accumulation of maternally derived gametophytic protein is likely to be responsible for the 'maternal' effect.

Gene trap tagging of PROLIFERA, an essential MCM2-3-5-like gene in Arabidopsis.

Gene trap transposon mutagenesis can identify essential genes whose functions in later development are obscured by an early lethal phenotype. In higher plants, many genes are required for haploid gametophyte viability, so that the phenotypic effects of their disruption cannot be readily observed in the diploid plant body. The PROLIFERA (PRL) gene, identified by gene trap transposon mutagenesis in Arabidopsis, is required for megaga-metophyte and embryo development. Reporter gene expression patterns revealed that PRL was expressed in dividing cells throughout the plant. PRL is related to the MCM2-3-5 family of yeast genes that are required for the initiation of DNA replication.

Chronic ovine pneumonia associated with Mycoplasma infection.

Chro nic ovine pneumonia is one o f the most prevalent d iseases in Iraq a nd is of conside ra ble eco no mic imp ortance altho ugh its ca use is un certain (I] . Investigat ion s were ca rr ied out on sponta neo us pneum on ia in sheep in the sla ughterhouses of Baghdad city. Eighteen pn eumoni c ovine lun gs we re exa mined for infectiou s orga nisms. Vari ou s bacteri a, including S taphylococci. Streptococci. Klebsiella spp., and Escherichia coli were isolated at vari ou s times from diseased lungs. Ten of the 18 lungs were positiv e for mycopl asma. Co lonies va ried fro m centerless to co lonies with cen ters. Fo ur lun gs yielded only cente rless colonie s; the remainder had both types of colon ies. Further studies on the identification an d pathogen icity of the isolated strains were not poss ible. Ty pica l cente rless colonies of My coplasma ovipneumoniae recovered from 18 swa b sa mples fro m the nasal sinuses of 32 lambs in a group of ab out 300 animals in one barn and fro m nine nasal sam ples were identified as M . arginini [5]. T he microscop ic lesion s in the lun gs were similar to those described by ot he rs [5, 6]. T he principl e lesion s were thickeni ng of the alveo lar septa by proli fera tive cha nges in the alveo lar walls, hyperplasia of bron ch iolar ep ith el ium a nd alveo lar atelectasis with minimal exudative changes and intraluminal aggre gate s of neut rophils. There was ac tiva tion of intrapulmon ary lymphoid tissue that formed peribron ch ial cuffs. Cuffing was also notic ed aro und the blood vesse ls and lymphatics. The bronchi al glands had fjord-l ike elongations; their epithelium was hyperplastic and hype rtrop hied . The histological descript ion s are rem arkabl y similar to those of enzootic pneumoni a of pigs caused by mycopl asm a [2, 3], and grey lun g pn eumonia of mice [4]. Our study suggests that the isolated mycoplasmas are type s identified and characteri zed [5] . References

Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas

The giants of the Viennese school, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, produced over one hundred and thirty piano sonatas between them. Among the “minor prophets” Hummel wrote nine, Dussek over thirty and Clementi (according to Grove) about sixty. Clementi's pupil, Field, although he wrote seven concertos for the instrument, was more niggardly with sonatas; there are perhaps four of them, three being his Opus 1. The prolific era was followed by a great drop in numbers; from Schumann, Chopin and Brahms we have three each and from Liszt one. Subsequently Grieg, Tchaikovsky and Balakirev contributed one each, Glazounov two, Szymanowski three, Ravel a sonatina. Benjamin Dale's one monumental effort seems to deserve a separate sentence. Some great masters of piano writing, Debussy for example, refrained entirely. Three Russian composers have alone made any attempt to “stop the rot”, Scriabin with ten, Medtner fourteen, and Prokofiev eight. No other noted living composers have got anywhere near Medtner and Prokofiev in regard to numbers; Bax has given us four sonatas, Ireland two (if we count the sonatina, but Prokofiev has two of those), Pizzetti and Bloch one each, and there is even an early one by Sibelius. These figures make no attempt to be exhaustive.